1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shoe constructions and more particularly relates to a high heel shoe construction having a removable heel that affixes to the body portion of the shoe with a self loading dove-tail joint construction that is hidden upon assembly entirely within the confines of the heel so that a continuous smooth outer line defines the interface between the heel and the shoe.
2. General Background
High heel shoes are typically made of a high grade plastic or leather material with a synthetic or leather sole and having a heel which can be plastic which is strong but somewhat brittle. While this heel material works well on shoes, the outer coating of the heel is typically a designer material such as a leather veneer. During use, this outer heel covering can become cut or scuffed such as for example when the user steps into a metal grate, or between the wooden board portions of a deck, or is simply scratched against concrete curbs, lightpost or other obstruction along sidewalks.
Once the exterior of the heel is damaged, the entire shoe is rendered useless. It would thus be desirable to have a removable heel that could be replaced by the owner of the shoe. The removability and replacement should be easy to accomplish. The replacement should not be visibly apparent from the exterior of the shoe rendering its design unpleasing to the eye. Further, the removable heel construction should necessarily be a relatively inexpensive construction so that the consumer can replace the heel easily with minimum time and labor. Further, the removable heel should be of such a simple construction that a professional shoe repair facility is not required.
The removability of the heel would preferably give the user the ability to change the look of a shoe by installing a heel of a different color or size or shape.
Several United States patents have been issued relating to shoes with interchangeable or exchangeable heel constructions. However for the most part, these patents disclose complicated constructions that require metallic interfaces between the heel and the shoe, and/or the use of complicated fasteners or connectors that would render their construction too expensive and/or cumbersome to operate. Further, some require the use of extra tools so that they are an unworkable solution for the average user. Still other removable heel constructions suffer because the joint between the heel and the shoe is so readily apparent to the user that they destroy the design of the shoe rendering them unfit for intended use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,320 issued to Goldberg et al., entitled "Shoe With Exchangeable Heel" discloses an article of footwear comprising a shoe having a removable and replaceable heel. Attached to the sole surface of the shoe's upper is an outwardly projecting shaft which is adapted to fit into an internal bore formed in the core of the shoe heel member. A latch mechanism is provided for inhibiting unintended separation of the heel from the upper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,996 issued to Dill entitled "Women's Shoes With Flexible Spring Steel Shanks For Use With Replaceable Heels Of Different Height" shows a women's shoe with flexible shank for use with replaceable heels of different height includes a sole with a forward support portion and a raised heel portion and an overlying insole. An elongated flexible spring steel shank is nested within a slot between the insole and sole and at one end anchored thereto. A high heel registers with the heel portion and interlocking fasteners upon the heel and heel porion upon limited rotation of the heel relative to the shoe removably anchors the heel upon the shoe. The heel upon limited angular rotation and disengagement of the fasteners is adapted for removal and replacement by a low heel having similar fasteners. The shank moves within the slot to compensate for the change in height. The interlocking fasteners include opposed interconnected lock segments and anchor flanges secured respectively to the heel and heel portion. An alignment pin in the heel projects into an alignment opening in the sole preventing relative rotation of the heel and heel portion to prevent disengagement of the segments and flanges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,100 issued to Rhodes entitled "Shoe With Replaceable Heel" shows a shoe with a removable heel that is attached to the shoe by means of a dove-tail connection. A high heel shoe construction is shown. The Rhodes shoe has a permanently affixed heel plate attached to the bottom of a heel support portion of the shoe. This heel plate contains a mortise having a decreasing transverse width from the front to the rear of the heel plate. A replaceable heel having a flat surface on one side and a dove-tail on the reverse surface corresponds in shape to the opening in the mortise which is slid into the mortise to be firmly seated by a friction fit on the heel plate. The rear of the heel has an outcropping of the dove-tail which is visible from the rear of the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,956 issued to Caccavale entitled "Shoe Replaceable Heel Kit" discloses a replaceable heel device including a heel base including a replaceable heel mounted on the bottom of the heel portion of the sole of a shoe, a replaceable heel connecting means for removably screwing said replaceable heel to the underside of the heel base and fastening means for securing the heel base to the sole. The connecting means includes a circular base plate secured to the underside of the heel base and a circular replaceable plate secured to the top of said replaceable heel. The base plate has a male threaded perimeter and the replaceable plate has a female screw threads adapted to mate with the threaded perimeter of the base plate. The connecting means for women's replaceable high heel is to secure base plate directly to heel portion of shoe sole and apply fastening means described. Included in women's replaceable high heel is a replaceable lift device, including a lift base plate fastened at the heel tip, having a female screw insert mounted therein and a male screw removably screwed into said female screw insert, said male screw being provided with replaceable lift for said female lift base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,770 issued to Orea Mateo entitled "Device For Fixing Heels" shows a heel which is longitudinally traversed by a threaded stem provided with a head which can be activated from the lower zone of the heel and whose free end is screwed into a blind hole made centrally in a projection of the lower face of a flat cover which is adjusted in a recess made in the upper zone of the heel. The flat cover is solidly fastened to a plate arranged on the upper face of the inner sole by fixing elements which pass through the inner sole and its inner shank.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,413 issued to Harvey Simonetti shows a detachable heel for shoes such as ladies' or men's shoes that includes a means for permitting the manual locking or unlocking of the heel with respect to the shoes, so that heels can be placed or changed whenever desired or requires.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,943,404 issued to R. Sultan entitled "Replaceable Heel Construction", discloses a removable heel that attaches to the shoe with a metallic connector member.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,867 issued to M. Zuckerman et al., entitled "Shoes", shows a metal dove-tail like construction for attaching a removable heel to a shoe wherein the connection is made by pushing the heel forwardly and locking it onto the shoe.
"Ladies' Shoes" shows a removable heel construction having a metal runway rivoted to the bottom of a shoe that carries the removable heel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,449,914 issued to H. Simonetti entitled "Detachable Heel", shows a metallic plate-like member that carries the removable heel in a detachable fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,439,310 issued to F.M. Mancuso entitled "Detachable Heel", provides a dove-tail-like connection mounted from the rear to the forward portion of the shoe and a spring loaded detent locking member for securing the heel in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,868 issued to T. Gilmour entitled "Detachable Shoe Heel", provides a heel which loads onto the shoe body from the rear to the front wherein a tee-shaped cross-sectional beam is mounted on the shoe sole and a corresponding socket is formed on the heel with a locking member in the form of a transverse bar holding the heel onto the shoe.